German Court Clears Heron Drone Order

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German Court Dismisses General Atomics Suit Over Heron Drone Order (excerpt)

(Source: Reuters; published May 31, 2017)

A German court on Wednesday dismissed a legal challenge from U.S. weapons maker General Atomics to Germany's plans to lease armed drones from Israel Aerospace Industries, clearing the way for the drone program to go ahead.

Early last year Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced the army would lease Heron TP drones for about 580 million euros ($652 million) instead of buying Predator B drones from General Atomics or Switzerland's RUAG, prompting protests by both firms.

General Atomics took its fight to Germany's anti-trust regulator and then to court.

It said at the time it filed the legal challenge "to ensure that this procurement is conducted as a fair and open competition; thereby ensuring that the German Ministry of Defense procures the most technologically superior and cost-efficient solution."

The higher court in Duesseldorf that dismissed the complaint on Wednesday was the final arbiter in the case.

Judge Heinz-Peter Dicks said the ruling was effective immediately and meant that Germany can now procure drones as it had planned. (end of excerpt)